Speaking at the inaugural Code/Media event held by technology website Re/code (via CNET), Roku CEO and founder Anthony Wood called the Apple TV "a money loser" for Apple, likening the product to an accessory for the iPad and questioning why Apple would want to sell more units of the device. Wood's remarks come as Apple is said to be preparing a new version of the Apple TV that will integrate with Comcast's network to enable a streaming TV service for users.

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"Apple TV is essentially an accessory for the iPad. They lose money, which is unusual for Apple," he said Thursday, speaking at the Recode conference here. "If you're losing money, why would you want to sell more?"

"Every year about this time, the Amazon box comes up that they're about to launch. And the new Apple TV is about to launch ... We've been competing with Apple TV for six years now, and every year, we've grown," Wood told Kafka. "We're in the TV platform business. Our goal is to be the operating system for TV."

The CEO also went on to tell the crowd that sales of the Roku doubled after Apple dropped the price of the Apple TV from $249 to $99 two years ago. Wood's comments are notable given that the Apple TV reportedly generated $1 billion last year, which was revealed by Apple CEO Tim Cook during the company's 2014 shareholder's meeting.

Roku refreshed its set-top box line with three new models joining its flagship Roku 3 last September, and also introduced a $50 HDMI streaming-stick to compete directly with Google's Chromecast and the Apple TV. Despite the Apple TV's growing popularity, however, a report last August from Parks Associates indicated that the Roku has proven to be more popular than Apple's set top box, as 14% of U.S. broadband households were said to be using streaming media boxes.

Apple is expected to launch a new Apple TV sometime in the near future, with some rumors pointed to a refined set-top box that may include gaming and cable box-like capabilities in addition to the aforementioned streaming TV integration.

A report from The Information also added details to the forthcoming device, claiming that it will feature a dramatically overhauled interface, which will blend TV listings with apps and video from the web, with Apple asking iOS game developers to make their titles compatible with its new product so that users can play games on their TV using iOS devices as controllers.

I bought an Apple TV for my parents, and they love it. £99 for the device then £5.99 on Netflix a month for a good selection of TV programmes and movies is a pretty good deal to me. I have only ever used AirPlay once with my iPad.

I have 3 Apple TV's and 0 Roku boxes. I also have an ever growing library of TV shows and Movies in my iTunes. All that matched with Airplay from my MacBooks and iOS devices makes the Apple TV invaluable.

Even looking rationally at the comment itself, "Apple TV is essentially an accessory for the iPad. They lose money, which is unusual for Apple,"

A) I seriously doubt Apple lose any money on the Apple TV costs.
B) An accessory for iPad? Works with iPhones too and aren't their like 500 million of them out there? along with tens of millions of iPads. Nice market to cater for.

This all sounds like the final ramblings of a company about to go out of business when Amazon launch their set top box.

Apple TV was great when it had a harddrive to be honest. Now its just a media extender on steoroids .. my "tivo" (Or UK equivalent) can do what Apple TV does. It does Airplay (ok, my amp does), Netflix, all other channels relevant. But with my "tivo" I don't need another PC running iTunes with my library .. I "could" copy the stuff if needed or stream if required .. So for that sort of price (£99 here in the UK) you get other devices with a better value.

Insecure much?
I have no idea about his product - I believe it's not available in my country.
Yet I use my Apple TVs every single day, and purchase a bunch of content through them. That's why they make them, Roku CEO.

Also I don't have an iPad. So not sure how his comment makes any sense.

Of course, what he stated is only half of the truth as the ATV can be used with iPhones / (newer) MB's too for streaming, not only iPads - and, of course, as a self-standing Internet video streamer too without any kind of local iDevices / MB's as a controller / video / mirrored screen source.

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Originally Posted by Frizers

I'm going to make myself really unpopular here and say that if you're not using the apple tv for airplay then there are probably plenty of cheaper, more functional alternatives.

Depends on whether you've purchased stuff in the iTunes Store. If you have and don't want to store those movies locally, then, the ATV is decent. If you don't (and don't want to use AirPlay), then, there are indeed cheaper / better alternatives, particularly if you're a subscriber of other video streaming services.

Of course, what he stated is only half of the truth as the ATV can be used with iPhones / (newer) MB's too for streaming, not only iPads - and, of course, as a self-standing Internet video streamer too without any kind of local iDevices / MB's as a controller / video / mirrored screen source.

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Depends on whether you've purchased stuff in the iTunes Store. If you have and don't want to store those movies locally, then, the ATV is decent. If you don't (and don't want to use AirPlay), then, there are indeed cheaper / better alternatives, particularly if you're a subscriber of other video streaming services.